Wind, high surf and rain batter four Y-K Delta villages into a second day

Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, Kongiganak and Quinhagak spent Monday under coastal advisories for the second straight day, with water levels forecast to run 1 to 2 feet above the normal highest tide line.

The National Weather Service in Anchorage flagged coastal erosion both days. Large breaking waves of 4 to 6 feet were likely along the coast Sunday into Monday, and 3 to 5 feet Monday, the agency said, with higher waves offshore. The coastal flood threat itself stayed low, at 10 to 20 percent.

Wind and rain compound the risk

A separate wind advisory ran until 1 p.m. Monday, with southwest winds of 25 to 40 mph and gusts to 55 mph. "Strong winds combined with heavy rain could make travel and outdoor activities difficult," the agency said. A second round of gusts, 30 to 40 mph, is expected Monday evening into Tuesday.

Prolonged rainfall is forecast from Sunday afternoon through at least Tuesday, stretching the hazard past a single tide cycle. The weather service advised residents to secure outdoor objects and move items away from beaches, warning that localized beach erosion may occur across the advisory area.

Kipnuk is still rebuilding

The weather lands on a community still putting itself back together. Kipnuk is being rebuilt from the remnants of Typhoon Halong — more than 12,000 feet of new boardwalk has been laid, and crews are lifting storm-damaged homes back into place, according to previous Alaska News reporting.